I Remembered

What the other thing G wanted for Christmas, a bowling set. I told her she already had one, which is true, it is the playschool baby one (hand-me-down) and is still used by her. So then she said a soccer set. I think she means a goal which is a real possibility from my parents maybe. Then they can leave it at their house because they have the soccer sized yard.

But yesterday while at the volunteer ministry I was again walking through the warehouse when someone picked up a donated child's 6lb bowling ball. Have I mentioned how much G likes bowling? No? Well, let me just say she LURVES IT and is currently saving her money for us to go again. Now the ball comes in an ugly, read: old, white with pink stripe bowling bag, but the ball itself is a beautiful pearl blue. Okay, so it has the name "wren" engraved in it. I said that would help us identify the ball as ours. Or maybe it is the name of the line the ball came from.

But nevertheless G will be getting her bowling set for Christmas. Now I am praying someone will donate a pair of child's size 12 bowling shoes and a pair of adult size 8 1/2 bowling shoes. Is that too much for God? I think not.

I was so excited about this treasure find that I stayed on my high pretty much all night almost spilling the beans to G in the car on the way home, OOOPS. I called my mom to tell her and she rightly pointed out that God was taking care of Christmas this year for me. I so agree.

Oh and don't forget the Shutterfly greeting cards give away. I have two comments and if I only get three comments I will gladly give it to only the first three people. If I get more then I will follow the rules I originally set and draw three names.

"Some Hard Truths of Some Adoptions"

"The miracle of adoption isn’t just the creation of a family from disparate, distant people. Adoption is a phoenix; a miracle that arises from the ashes of despair. A baby is abandoned, a family lost and a whole new world gained. Like nearly everything else, an adoptive family is born of both joy and pain."

This quote is from an excellent, IMHO, article about adoption using a book about adoption and the movie "Wo Ai Ni, Mommy." Of course as always some of the comments are ignorant and blather on and on in ignorance but the article is very well written.

Speaking of the movie, I watched and cringed and cried and celebrated and saw a family being born, really. Wonderful movie and like this article points out it shows the immediate aftermath of adoption not the long term gains. Really it is a movie showing the birth pains of a family formed through adoption. It definitely doesn't gloss over any of the pain the child feels nor the struggles of the parents coming to grips with it all.

Now I would like to read the book discussed in the article. I think it would be very helpful and enlightening.

Happy National Coffee Day!

This is my kind of holiday! I think this should be a federal holiday with free coffee for everyone on a government stimulus (now that is some government spending I could really get behind). Enjoy the videos. KLove played a fun coffee song but I can't find it now so I found these two.

Gathering Bits and Pieces

Christmas is coming and this year like the last few will be for me anyway not fun all about frugality. Last year on TV G saw the perfect brownie maker and really wanted it for Christmas. Nevermind that she doesn't really eat brownies, I do, but she really wanted it. No she didn't get one. However, this is a new year and thanks to the ministry where I volunteer, G will now get an "As Seen on TV" Perfect Brownie Maker. No kidding. I was walking through the warehouse for another reason and spotted it altogether in the box complete so I asked if I could have it explaining G's desire for it and voila, I was blessed with it.

So far, I have gathered games and books for G's Christmas (most free or deeply discounted). She has asked for two things that I now can only remember one of, poop. I am a bit forgetful these days.

She has actually asked for the Little Pet Shop house thing (the big one) for the past two Christmases. I have been able to put this request off by Santa's gift of the Littlest Pet Shop's castle thing on deeeeeeep discount. But thanks to the Happy Meal toys she has a few more of the Little Pet Shops and now is back on the request for the big house. Did you know there was a difference? There is.

Big Disappointment

First things first, don't forget to scroll down and sign up for the Shutterfly giveaway, I received the 4 codes today and I have one person signed up.

Now on to the mundane title of the post: Received an e-mail, about 2 days too late yesterday, that said the client had postponed the position indefinitely. I am now beginning to think the temp agent is a new person just by the way this was handled. They have nothing else.

I had to jump through humiliating hoops to get G's bus changed for her to go to a friend's house after school for me to work, and then I got the e-mail. At least Wednesday night is not a loss for G's after school care because it takes her to GAs at my mom's church. Every other day though she is now going to another bus drop off location (not our house) that will require a drive for me (gas expenditure) to pick her up. I am not going to change this bus route because the family who said they will keep her agreed that when I do get a job G can still stay with them. Now though I am thinking I won't get a job this school year. I know, I know stay positive. Okay, I am positive I will not get a job this school year. HARUMPH!

Today, instead of working, I get to go to the food pantry with the director of H.H. where I volunteer and shop for our pantry. This means I can pick up food stuff G and I will eat for free for a while anyway! Bread and refrigerated stuff is totally free to our ministry so I plan to stock up. Coffee is extremely cheap even the *bucks kind (outdated) so I can stock up there too.

So even though I am quite devastated about the matter there is a silver lining in it all. Oh and I have post nasal drip with reactive airway that causes me to cough uncontrollably when I get hot or talk too much which means I can't answer the phones at all again today, YAY ME!

New Careers for the Future

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of ATETV.org. All opinions are 100% mine.

From the ATETV website "Advanced Technological Education Television is an award winning on-line video series with up to the minute information connecting students with education and employment opportunities."

At ATETV high school students can look into education and job experiences in Science, Engineering, Math and Technology fields that the Labor Department says will be in demand in the future.  ATETV is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.  Through grants provided by the National Science Foundation ATETV is able to produce free videos of real job opportunities in these fields.

After spending time in the ranks of the unemployed I see how important it is for students to look at career fields that will be around in the future or will make lay-offs less likely.   Granted there are no promises; however, any field that will require technical skills will be more needed and harder to downsize. 

Several of the videos currently featured are biotech as the first step to drug development, turning 2D ideas into 3D reality and information technology.  The website is easy to walk through helping to draw students into high-tech fields such as underwater robotics, laser technology, aviation mechanics, wind-farming and high-tech agriculture.  I hope as G gets older ATETV will still be around or else she will end up being a plumber because plumbers really can't be outsourced.

Spelling Update

G made a 105 on her spelling test. I needn't have worried. If she spelled "friendship" right then she wasn't going to forget the "u" in "quack."

Oh and job update, supposedly I have a temp job starting on Tuesday. The temp rep was supposed to e-mail me the details yesterday. I am on e-mail today and have no e-mail from her. I therefore have no details about the where I am going or what I am supposed to wear or to whom I should speak. To say I am a bit frustrated is quite an understatement.

My Shutterfly Photo Book Experience with a Give Away

Have I ever mentioned my personal love affair with Shutterfly? Well, I have one, a strong one. I have made several books for G as well as ordered Christmas Photo Cards and general note cards from them.

My affair started in Oct. 2005 when I returned back to the job I hated and needed a diversion. Plus, their computer connection was faster than mine at home, heh.

I found the Shutterfly website and uploaded all of the pictures from China. The good thing about Shutterfly is the free life-time unlimited storage of photos. G's whole life so far is docked at Shutterfly, as are some of my parents Israel trip photos.

Anyway, I used that time at work (at the job I hated) to build my first 100 page book starting from referral day to the plane ride home and all the 2 weeks in between for G. Every memory from that trip was put in that book in either photo form or words.

Shutterfly was easy to use with choices of layouts, cover materials, adjusting the pictures, etc. I loved and still love the book. I keep it in plastic to protect it. G and I take it out occasionally to go through it and talk about the trip and her hatred of me trepidation of meeting these foreign folks, us, her new family.

Since then I have used other on-line sites to do books for me and my mom, but I always return to Shutterfly. Those books just don't have same feel in quality that I have come to expect from Shutterfly. I actually haven't paid even for the other books as they were free offers to try the services.

I have made two books specifically to send to G's orphanage (not that I received notice that the orphanage received them) and kept duplicates for G at home. Those books were basically a year in the life books filled with pictures and memories we had created during that time. I haven't finished her Kindergarten year yet but eventually will get that finished as well.

All of my projects are also stored at Shutterfly so if there is ever a fire I can replace all of my photo books from Shutterfly without having to take the time to re-create them. That is my one greatest fear in life, losing all my memories in a fire. Call it, "channeling grandma" if you will.

Anyway, all this to brag on Shutterfly and say I am having a give away. Shutterfly has offered me 10 free 5x7 flat stationery cards for three lucky readers. Now you can create Christmas Photo Cards, holiday photo cards, Halloween photo cards, Halloween Invitations, party invitations, Thank You Cards, or Birthday Invitations.

What you need to do to win (up to three chances) is 1.) leave me a comment about a post you did about the give away on your own blog or facebook page for one entry directing readers back here. (I will need to be a friend on Facebook to verify the post.) 2.) leave a comment here telling me what cards you would like to have (separate comment than #1). So for two chances to win post about this on your blog and/or Facebook leave a comment for me to know and see the post and another chance to win, just comment here on the post what card you would choose.

In order for me to brag on Shutterfly and offer this give away I was given one set of ten cards myself! All coupons will expire if not used by 12/31/10.

GGGOOOOOAAAALLLLL!

Yes, my baby did it. She scored her first goal without help that is. She and a teammate scored one last Saturday by kicking the ball at the same time. This time however that teammate this game threw the ball in from the side lines straight to G who then made a GGGOOOOAAAALLL! Yes it does help to not have the opposing team right in front of you!

For some reason I am having a time uploading video of the goal.

Making a Mark

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Member's Mark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you see your Member's Mark formula when you shopped last? If not it is because of the exciting new look. Member's Mark formula, found only at Sam's Club, has a new streamlined look making it easier to read the product type, age and benefit indicators. The can size and value remain the same. This new clean look comes with the assurance that the formula has the same complete nutrition for your baby’s health and development with DHA & ARA to help support brain & eye development.

Look for the saving calculator when visiting their easy to maneuver website to be sure you are getting the best value for your family. Member's Mark is the same or has a lower price on some items which is so good for us all in this economy. We want to live frugal lives without compromising the health of our children, so it is good to know, that just like other national brands, Member's Mark formula continues to meet all strict FDA guidelines.

You can read testimonials on their website at Member's Moms and even join to leave your own personal story. Join their Facebook page or become a fan to leave your thoughts as well.

Anything Is Better

As a cheesy dip, heh. Lunch today is creamed spinach in cheese sauce with nacho chips. All courtesy of the food pantry where I will be for the next 4 weeks. The other day it was guacamole (frozen and out of date but ooh so good). Because it is all about health you know!

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to volunteer and use my skills here while I languish in the unemployment hell hole. I am attempting to build a database for the ministry to use and manage all the individual who seek help from month to month. It may be a bigger mess deal than I initially anticipated. But if I get it started then when I am back working maybe they can finish it or maintain it in the future.

We are gearing up for the give away and increasing our numbers but keeping the original 400 spots. It just seems amazing how people can just forget to pick up free food after making an appointment within a week of the give away. So we are stretching our faith to fill and give away 400 slots with 450 families. Usually we have roughly 60 or 70 forget each time.

Signed up for Tweet My Job today. I am not giving all my URLs, Facebook page, twitter page etc away. I don't want prospective employers to snoop around my info. Maybe I should start a job search blog and just post a few job search things there to put on the profile. I couldn't link it to any other blog or my "ramblingmother" name. But having nothing on the profile looks like I am not computer or internet savvy, you know? Anyway, whatever. We shall just wait and see I guess.

I can't wait to see how G did on her spelling test. I am a bit nervous for her. No matter what I am very proud of her because she is learning so well and trying her very best.

She read me Amelia Bedelia the other night while I was getting ready for bed. Yes, it was painfully slow though it didn't seem to take that long since I was busy. She did a pretty good job on it for having words that were really long and difficult to sound out.

Okay back to the database.

On the Move

This post brought to you by PlayStation(R) Move. All opinions are 100% mine.

 I am looking into a way to exercise and bring a bit of fun into our house this winter. Mainly, I am getting tired of G asking why I am fat and wondering if I was ever thin, which is why I banned her from being in my bathroom when I get dressed.  I was trying to explain to a friend why I wasn't running anymore or rather why I wouldn't start back and said that it was too hot to run anyway. The other reason is that G would have to go and she doesn't need to exert that kind of energy.  He called it for what it was, excuses.  Nevertheless, if I could be in my home having fun with G then I think it would be much better.

So maybe the big grown up Santa may visit and bestow upon our tiny family an opportunity to move with the PlayStation(R)MOVE this Christmas. G and I right now love to play games, card games mostly, but games nonetheless. Obviously card games are not necessarily physical; though, I am sure with some families it could deteriorate into a physical sport, although not in ours - yet. Therein lies the dilemma, family night is most every night with card games that exert no more energy than to remember to say Uno with one card left or in throwing down the draw 4 wild card, which upon reflection can be rather exciting.

With the PlayStation(R)MOVE, however, we would actually compete and burn energy (which equals calories which would make me thinner and G go to sleep earlier) at the same time as we spend quality time together.  Think about how family night could be enhanced with the PlayStation(R)MOVE Sports Champions.  We may never have to pay to bowl again!  And honestly, don't you think  I need another addiction. 

If you already have a PlayStation®3 the PlayStation(R)MOVE bundle package can be added for only $99.

Need a Boost?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

Boost Mobile is a dependable network with no contracts. It will allow you to stay in touch with friends and family by connecting you to your Facebook (monthly fee) and/or Twitter account. Isn't that what we all want, to stay connected and share the most boring details intimate details of our day with our friends and family?

For you little social butterflies out there Re-Boost has some very flexible payment plans. You can pay in person, on-line with debit or credit, or have family or friends add money to the account with their debit or credit cards without tying them to the account. Other ways to pay would be on the phone or via automatic payments from credit or bank account.

Wish you could own a Blackberry? With this unlimited account plan you can for $60 a month which includes talk, text, web, e-mail, 411 and IM. All this without a contract for just a small monthly fee. How awesome is that?

There are even unlimited day plans starting at $2. The monthly plans start at $50 with a wide variety of phone choices. Easy to locate stores near you by visiting the website. If you have a Boost phone already, you can shop on-line for your monthly service choice and/or change the phone number.

GAs and Spelling Tests

G has a spelling test today. The pre-test is today and if she makes 100 she doesn't have to take it on Friday. The bonus word is "friendship." One of her words is "quack" and sometimes she forgets the "u." She will be disappointed if she has to take it on Friday, and I can't lie, I will too.

Last night was GAs (Girls in Action) at my parents church. I take her and drop her off. So they sent home an invitation for a GA lock-in/prayer walk for October. Of course G has soccer on the Saturday. She is already stressed about deciding which to do, do the lock-in and be tired for soccer or not go to the lock-in. So in the car she prayed to God, "Dear God help me make a decision as it comes to the week before so I can know what to do." And she was so sincere in her prayer it made my heart glad.

I personally hope she decides to go because I think it will be good for her. I am worried though that she will get too tired and melt down in front of her friends which may or may not be a good thing. I tried to ask the teachers about who would be there (because I won't) and what do they do if the girls get tired and/or cried. I am sure I looked like a paranoid mom but mainly I wanted to know do you end up calling the parents or can you guys handle it alone? Because I don't want to be called if she decides to go and then gets upset later.

I don't remember being included in lock-ins at G's age. Youth group yes but not 1st-5th grades. They just make kids grow up too fast.

Did You Ever Wonder...

Why Israel is the center of the world's attention? The history of the Arab-Israel conflict goes back to the calling of Abraham out of the land of Ur when God made a promise to make a great nation out of Abraham. In the time between the promise and the actual fulfillment of the promised child, Abraham failed to trust God. The sin of Abraham to listen to Sarah and use Hagar as the surrogate has caused the Middle East Crisis that we see going on currently.

Bryant Wright does an excellent job of seeing both sides of the issue tracing the conflict to its origin. Amazing to think how one sin, one decision, one person's lack of trust in God has such huge ramifications for us today. We all are suffering from Abraham's decision oh so long ago.

I would highly recommend this book for a better understanding of the Palestinian conflict and the promise being fulfilled to Israel. This is neither a pro-Palestinian nor pro-Israel book, necessarily. It does show how the Jews are the legitimate owners of the land, as well as how the Arabs do continue to feel history has not been fair to them.

In exchange for this review which is all my own opinion I received a free copy of this book.

This Is Awesome

Found on the Wolf Files blog. This is Obama's cousin fighting the craziness going on in this administration. I am so glad people are standing up. Too bad it took this whacko in the white house to do it. We will remember in November!

Very Convicting

This is why this time in my life is so difficult because I have been rocked off my comfortable position on the balance beam but I continue to try and crawl back on. I need that uncomfortable place to seek and hold on to the God who knows me and loves me rather than the comfortable life I can create for myself.

I Have Been Spammed

My e-mail has been hijacked and is now sending spam. Sorry to everyone in my e-mail address. How do I stop it? It even posted here to the blog but I deleted that post. Wierd, any advice to stop it is welcome.

Interviews and Leads

But nothing from them. So still unemployed, have a 4 week extension on the unemployment benefits.

I have lost some of G's pictures but while cleaning up some thumb drives I found some as well.

G has a soccer game in the a.m. and a car wash and then we plan to go bowl in the afternoon. Busy busy social life I tell you.

Look I found the first and last day of kindergarten and darn it if she doesn't look as unhappy on the first day as the last. This year was a totally different attitude. She was much happier to be a first grader than a kindergartner.

Yesterday she had her first spelling test and made a 105 because she got the bonus word an 8 letter word no less. Also her grandad ate lunch with her to celebrate grandparents day (each class was assigned a different day and time to accommodate all the grandparents).

Anyway, so much for the update. The food give away is gearing up and if I am not working I will be preparing for that. Have a great weekend. I hope to be able to post a bit more frequently in the near future.

Taken from the Wolf Files

Loved this presentation about 9/11. The one thing I think we also shouldn't forget is how the Muslim world celebrated in the Middle East. Those images shouldn't be forgotten either. They celebrated the deaths of 3000 people, Americans and other countries' citizens as well. I remember, do you?

Just So You Know...

I didn't forget 9/11, nine years later. But I have no computer at home and really no computer to hold up and post on the blog often. We had a soccer game yesterday morning. We went to church this morning and are now at my parents for a Sunday nap.

I am posting now as a remembrance to 9/11 and all that the murders stood for and what we as Americans should stand against. We should stand against the Islamitization of America. We should stop the ground zero mosque. We should stop burnings of holy books, all holy books, even Bibles particularly Bibles burned by our own military in Afghanistan.

So anyway, a day late but still remembering 9/11. Thanks to the men and women who have sacrificed, proved their heroism and even in the face of a hostile administration, continue to love and protect this country. We should NEVER FORGET, and we will Remember in November.

Meeting Other A-Families

So I will need to be very, very careful to not give too much info on this post as I am not sure who would read this and work back to the family about whom I am speaking.

One day I heard a little one with squeaky shoes in my general area and of course I expected to turn and see an Asian baby but didn't. So I spoke with the mom who said she bought them at consignment, and that I should do consignment and she was very intense about consignment to the point that I was as uncomfortable speaking with her in general as you are reading this very long intense run on sentence.

Anyway, I explained my only interest in the squeaky shoes being G's shoes we bought in China and that an upscale store near us sold them. So she asked me if I adopted G from China to which I responded in the affirmative. Then she said, "We adopted her" pointing to the roughly year old child in her arms.

I thought maybe it was an international adoption possibly Russian, so I asked where from (really only wanting to know whether it was domestic or international). She said, "New York, we lost a lot of money from an agency here. We found a birth mom in NY. She didn't want her so we adopted her." Yes, yes she did say it. In front of her child and mine she said out loud that the birth mom didn't want her.

I was a bit dumbfounded and 6 hours later, I came back with a retort, "Oh! What could you mean, 'Didn't want her' of course she wanted her, who wouldn't want this precious child. You must mean she couldn't care for her?" At least that would have given both her child and mine dignity as well as giving this mom other words to use. Like I said, I found the retort 6 hours later or 6 hours too late.

G questioned later that same evening what she heard and processed what the mom said about children not being wanted. I had to explain that all children are wanted but due to sometimes government circumstances like in China, some children aren't able to be kept. I can't look at a child and say that child isn't wanted though with abortion I understand that would be the case. If a baby is born, then at some point during that pregnancy (in this age of abortion), that child was a wanted child.

Sometimes I am thrilled to meet other adoptive families then other times, not so much.

The Forgotten Man

To purchase a print go here. I pulled this off of Michelle Malkin's site. We need more and more people to speak out about the man who never lied regarding his intention to fundamentally transform America.

Don't Assume You Know the Man

Tell you what, winners typically get to define the losers which in this case is very sad because they missed the truth. Robert E. Lee lived a life of humbleness and virtue. He never wanted the Union to split; however, he was more a Virginian than an American and felt the necessity to bear arms for Virginia. He felt that a Union forced together by the Federal government over the rights of individual states was not a Union worth belonging to.

This book does not hold back though on missteps made by both the North and the South which is very helpful in explaining how the battles played out. I also liked seeing his humanity in this book. Lee loved children proclaiming a little girl's birthday celebration with several of her friends one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Lee also believed rightly in Providence. He gave his life to the Almighty and stood under His will. He didn't feel slavery would continue and that morally no country would survive with one people enslaving another. He and his wife inherited slaves but all were freed by the time Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. He even tracked down runaway slaves to give them their "letters of manumission". Lee's father in-law ordered freedom for the 200 slaves he left in his will after 5 years. Lee freed the 4 or 5 slaves left him by his mother after one month. Lee truly felt that the Almighty would abolish slavery in His own time.

Lee was a truly humble man and never attempted to defend himself against accusations made regarding his fighting for VA. Again he felt the states had the right to make decisions for themselves except where the Constitution delegated government action. Again, Lee fought for states rights as the main issue for defense of VA.

I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in the history of the US to include this book as one to read for deeper insight of the time surrounding the Civil War.

In exchange for this review, I received this book for free. All opinions are my own.

Seriously, the World of the Intolerant...

I found this post at Standing on Your Head. How appropriate for our day and age. In an age of relativism where truth is squashed down by opinion, I just found this video oh so true and scary and now.

We Had Hibachi Monday

Thanks to a good friend. This was G's first time and she loved it. She was totally in awe. I tried to post a pic of her watching but for some reason the loading kept timing out.

The night starts to really heat up.
Onions on fire, sort of.

Rare Mama sighting with G at the hibachi restaurant. It was a fun night, thanks S.

How We Celebrated This Weekend

Friday night G beat me at Candy Land, Chinese Checkers, Uno, Go and Manacala. Then I read while she played solitaire and pinball on a borrowed computer. I was so tired, grumpy etc due to hormones. I was so hoping that overnight (by a birthday miracle) I would just jump through menopause, but alas it was not to be so I have been popping Aleve like candy for the last two days, yee haw.

Saturday we went to the zoo then met a friend for coffee. On the way to coffee the director of the food pantry called to invite us to bowl which we did at 5pmish. Then she treated us all to dinner at Shoney's. That was really nice. They did the whole sing for your birthday thingy.

Yes, G did touch a boa constrictor. The zoo person said it felt like a basketball, but G said it was more squishy than a basketball.


I stunk while bowling and at dinner. I smelled like the zoo because we left the zoo at 3pm, got gas and stopped at the Chinese market for a seaweed snack before meeting my friend for coffee and then meeting the others to bowl. Read: no time for a quick shower or anything, YUCK. G thought it was funny that I would just pop out how badly I stunk like the zoo.

At the bowling alley, G smacked me down on air hockey. She also bowled a 110 to my 106. You know, good thing I am humble, because being smacked down on multiple games can strike at a girls ego, especially a frail 40 year old ego like mine, heh.

And now I am watching old Lawrence Welk shows, why? Because I am now middle aged reliving my childhood Sunday afternoon memories.

40 Is the New 30

So today is the day I left one decade for another. How do I feel? Last night going to bed I was singing the Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" over and over much to G's amusement. I asked G what she was going to do for my birthday and she said, "I can't do anything because Grammie isn't here." I asked her if she would sing happy birthday to me and she said I could do it myself. So much for birthday wishes, heh.

Anyway, back to how do I feel? Private thoughts actually don't wish to share now. Grateful that I have G and a place to live.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go pick food and stuff out at the Food Bank for the ministry where I volunteer. That was awesome. What was even more awesome was that I was allowed to take for me and G some of the food and stuff. Found out G really likes croissants. The bread and refrigerated stuff is totally free and the frozen and dry stuff is WAY discounted. I was able to get good coffee (*bux) for me.

Also, yesterday my cappuccino maker stopped steaming which means I couldn't make my coffee like I like. So thanks to a gift from my mom I was at least able to buy a new machine. Is this too much whine? Sorry. Oh and I am dressed from head to toe purple; because when I am old I shall wear purple.

Oh but a friend is going to give us a 10 gallon fish tank, why? Because she has a spare. G has wanted a fish or any pet really on top of the cats, dog, butterflies/caterpillar and whatnot. So when she is able (thanks, K) to find time I will be adding fish to our house.

Tomorrow to celebrate my birthday, G and I are heading to the zoo. Fun times, don't be hatin'.